Posts for tag: Asthma

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately six million children under the age of 18 struggle with asthma, a respiratory disorder that makes it hard to breathe freely. It's often triggered by allergies, respiratory illnesses, or high level activity. The team of pediatricians at Pediatric Associates of Davidson County in Nashville, TN, can help you handle the often scary symptoms of asthma in children.

Does Your Child Have Asthma?
Children are commonly diagnosed with asthma as early as age five with a lung function test. It's a condition that is sometimes inherited and sometimes caused by environmental factors. It's the body's immune system overreacting to some type of stimuli, such as an allergen, virus, or stressful situation. These are the common symptoms of asthma to check for:

Difficulty breathing or wheezing.

Feeling like the throat is closing or constricting.

Frequent coughing, especially at night.

Tightness in the chest.

Getting Help from Your Pediatrician
Don't hesitate to get regular help and guidance from your child's doctor after he or she is diagnosed with asthma. Talk to your Nashville, TN, pediatrician about these asthma treatments and therapies:

Inhalers for instant relief from an asthma attack.

Daily medication to help keep the airways open.

Immunotherapy (sublingual tablets) which builds up the body's resistance to allergen triggers.

Allergy shots and testing.

Monitoring the condition with a peak flow meter.

Asthma Management
Managing your child's asthma is a daily task that requires patience, knowledge, and plenty of preparation. Here are a few important tips to keep in mind:

Ensure that everyone who comes in contact with your child on a daily basis knows about his or her condition and medications.

Keep child away from all second-hand smoke.

If you’ve discovered that your child's asthma is related to an allergen, take extra steps to reduce contact with the substance (such as cleaning the air if it's pollen, dander, or dust).

Take Your Child to See a Pediatrician
Asthma is a chronic condition that's best managed by seeking help from your pediatrician. Call (615) 329-3595 today for an appointment at Pediatric Associates of Davidson County in Nashville, TN.

Childhood asthma is more common than you might think. In fact, it is the most common chronic disorder in children, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Asthma is a long-term respiratory condition that causes swelling within the airways, making it different for your little one to breathe. How do you know if your child might have asthma? The telltale signs include:

Trouble or difficulty breathing

Wheezing or whistling when breathing in

Tightness in the chest

Coughing that often gets worse at night

Fatigue, especially with exercise or play

If your child is experiencing or complaining about any of these symptoms it’s important that you schedule an appointment with a pediatrician as soon as possible. It’s important to write down the exact symptoms your little one has been experiencing, particularly because their symptoms may not be present during their evaluation. If you have a family history of asthma, this is something that your child’s pediatrician will want to know.

During the evaluation your doctor will also perform a physical exam, taking time to listen to both the heart and the lungs for signs of asthma. Sometimes a test known as spirometry will be used to test the lung function (this is most common in children over the age of 6 years old). This test is used to measure how much air is in the lungs and how quickly your child can exhale. Other tests may also be performed to check for other health issues that could be exacerbating your child’s asthma symptoms such as a sinus infection.

Asthma is serious and requires medication to keep this problem under control. While there is no cure for asthma, your pediatrician’s goal for asthma treatment is to prevent the severity and frequency of asthma attacks. We want to prevent your little one from having to rush to the hospital for a severe attack. Luckily, there are medications that your children’s doctor can prescribe to lessen asthma symptoms.

The type of asthma medication your child receives will depend on several factors including age. Infants and toddlers may require inhaled steroids to control asthma symptoms. The dosage will also change depending on your child’s age. Along with long-term medications that will be taken every day to help control symptoms and keep inflammation down there are fasting-acting medications that your child will also be prescribed (e.g. albuterol), which is only used when your little one feels an attack coming on. Before any medication is given to your child, your pediatrician will talk to both you and your little one about how to use asthma medication properly.

A common condition seen in kids and teens, asthma is a lung condition that causes trouble breathing and shortness of breath. During an attack, the bronchial airways become inflamed and the muscles surrounding them constrict, making breathing difficult. Repeated attacks may cause permanent lung damage and in severe cases can be life-threatening. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 23 million Americans have the condition and more than one-quarter of them are children under the age of 18.

Asthma Causes

There are a variety of triggers that can lead to an asthma flare-up or make asthma worse. These vary for every person, but common triggers include:

Allergens, such as animal dander, pollens, mold and house dust mites

Environmental irritants, such as cigarettes, dry air, fragrances and air pollution

Infections, such as pneumonia, sinus infection and viral infections of the nose and throat

Exercise

Stress

Does my child have asthma?

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, asthma is the most common chronic medical problem in children. Asthma symptoms will vary in frequency and severity, and most children with asthma develop their first symptoms before the age of five. Common signs include:

Coughing

Wheezing

Difficulty breathing

Tightness in chest

If you think your child may have asthma, contact your pediatrician. They can help you identify the early signs of childhood asthma and provide support for prevention and treatment.

A child may be at a greater risk for having asthma if there is a family history of asthma or if the child has eczema or frequent bouts of chronic lower respiratory problems occurring before the first birthday. Keeping your kids away from cigarette smoke in the home or car, removing pets from the house, paying attention to pollen and air quality forecasts and monitoring exercise are all ways to reduce asthma problems.

The good news is that the majority of asthma cases are only mild, and when the condition is properly managed with medications and extra caution, severe asthma flare-ups can be prevented. Work with your child’s pediatrician to learn more about the condition and ensure your child leads a healthy, normal, active life.

Does your child have asthma? Asthma is a condition in which a person's airways become narrow and inflamed and produce extra mucus, which makes it difficult to breathe. Childhood asthma can be controlled with proper treatment. Pediatric Associates of Davidson County which is located in Nashville, TN, provides state-of-the-art treatments for children with asthma. Here are five signs your child may have asthma.

1. Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath is a common symptom of childhood asthma. Some asthmatics say they feel out of breath or they can't catch their breath. Shortness of breath is a symptom you shouldn't ignore. If your child has a sudden, severe breathing difficulty, call 911. This is especially true if your child also has chest pain or nausea.

2. Frequent Coughing

While an occasional cough is normal, a recurrent, lingering cough is usually the result of a health problem. Frequent coughing, especially at night, may be a sign that your child has asthma. Check with a doctor in Nashville, TN if your child's cough lingers for more than a few weeks.

3. Recurrent Wheezing

Wheezing is a common symptom of childhood asthma. Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound that occurs while breathing. Inflammation and narrowing of the airway in asthma can result in wheezing. Other conditions can also cause wheezing including respiratory tract infections, allergies, and bronchitis.

4. Chest Tightness

Chest tightness is a common symptom of childhood asthma. Children may feel like something is squeezing or sitting on their chest. This chest tightness can occur occasionally or frequently. Chest tightness often occurs in asthmatics, either alone or with the other symptoms.

5. Sleep Problems

Sleep problems may be a sign that your child has asthma. Wheezing and coughing in asthmatics usually become more severe during the night. Some doctors believe that chronic insomnia may make a case of asthma become more severe. Thankfully, when childhood asthma is treated, sleep problems tend to disappear.

Asthma can make your child's life miserable. Don't wait another minute- call Pediatric Associates of Davidson County at 615-329-3595 now to schedule an appointment for your child in Nashville, TN.